Lamy Dialog CC Retractable Nib Fountain Pen

A big thank you to Appelboom for loaning me this pen! I am honoured to have such support and I hope it helps you out, too! Shop here!

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If you enjoy and/or appreciate and you want to lend your continued support, please do check me out on Patreon. You can pledge your support and/or undying love for as little as $1. You are in no way obligated to do so. I appreciate your readership, viewership, and your support so much - thank you! 

Lamy Cahier Notebook with Fountain Pens and Inks

Welcome ink'd Pens! 

I'd like to thank you so much for helping support this blog with your sponsorship! Lucky readers and viewers, ink'd Pens, located in Melbourne, Australia, has created a discount code just for you. You can get 10% off your purchases with the code LOVE GOURMET PENS - and one would hope you do. And even if you don't, you can use it anyway.

Shop this Lamy cahier.

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If you enjoy and/or appreciate and you want to lend your continued support, please do check me out on Patreon. You can pledge your support and/or undying love for as little as $1. You are in no way obligated to do so. I appreciate your readership, viewership and your support so much - thank you! 

The P.W. Akkerman x Gourmet Pens Pink Ink Collaboration:
Need some more PINK in your life?

/ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\*ᵖᵘʳʳ*

P.W. Akkerman
Vanness Pens
Lemur Ink
Bookbinders Design
Laywine's (call or email)

Lamy Safari Mango Fountain Pen and Ink

Every year Lamy releases special colours of the Safari and Al-Star and sometimes there is a matching ink.

What brings as much joy as a bagful of colourful candies - and without the sugar hit? The new Special Edition LAMY safari candy. The fresh trio, composed of violet, aquamarine and mango, is reminiscent of pop art, fruit sorbet and sugar icing. - Lamy

The trio is pretty fun but I only bought the Mango. I have several Safaris - two Neon Corals, Blue Macaron, Yellow, Pink, as well as the Lamy LX Rose Gold so I didn't really need three more. Mangoes are one of my favorite fruits and I love things - bags, clothing, brands, inks, pens, papers, anything - named after food.

I have full reviews of the Safari available for you to read if you'd like as well as a video of last year's Blue Macaron. The long story short is I am a big fan of them for many reasons and there are few things I dislike. Some of the good stuff: they're pretty affordable, they're available in many colors especially if you're considering the special edition colors per year, they are pretty solid, robust, and can handle some heavy use, they are practical and lightweight in hand, super simple to clean and maintain, and the nib range is not particularly limited. I personally like the broad (gold or steel) nib and the 1.1 mm stub calligraphy nib a lot. I always tune them to be a little wetter than when they leave the factory, but overall, I have found the writing performance out of factory quite decent. There has been some variation in tipping sizes - for example, a medium that is more of a fine and an extra-fine that is probably a medium (!), but overall they're decent. I don't have much issue because I usually lead towards the broad nib anyway.

Nibs are interchangeable and replaceable, and it's easy to do yourself even if you aren't super comfortable with this kind of thing. I think they are fairly priced to purchase a full set and keep them for all sorts of writing needs. It's a bit frustrating if you're looking for a particular tipping size and you end up getting one of those off sizes. I imagine most retailers would make sure you get the tipping you need, though. In terms of comfort, I really like the pens. Some people hate the triangular grip but it works fine for me.

I think the next Safari should be Dragonfruit with a pink body and green accents. And a white finial. What would you love to see?

I bought my Safari and ink at Take Note in Toronto.

I mean, the pen is so much more popping than the ink is, right? At least it shades so that's fun but the pen and its yellow happy goodness is really where it's at. I'm really happy with that part of the pair. The Safari is just so easy. Cap pops on and off with a satisfying snap, it posts snugly and securely by friction and it won't fly off, the clip is just super cute in its matching glossy yellow outfit, and the pen has a matte texture to it. 

This year Lamy only released the Mango ink in cartridges and bottles. It's sort of an odd choice since there are obviously two other colors they could have included is a little less orange than I was expecting but the pen is PERFECTION. I only have the cartridges because I am trying to be sensible about my ink purchases. I figured I could use up a few cartridges before a bottle (although I am known for burning through ink bottles using my Toronto Pen Company folded nibs). I feel like it's just not quite juicy enough to really be mango. It's also a bit on the dry side, which does not match up with my experience with juicy, delicious mango goodness! However, it's not totally terrible but I am glad I only got the cartridges. It's just not the right yellow-orange for moi and that's fine because goodness knows I have enough ink to last ... a year or two.

You can see from the smeary swab, which does show a range of shading, that it's not all that intense or saturated. It doesn't show any sheen but on the bright side, it is pretty easy to clean and it is well-behaved other than being a bit dry. I really only use it in a broad nib because it's just so naked looking in something finer. Looks good in a splat, though. 

Lamy Safari 2019 Blue Macaron Fountain Pen

Writing with the Lamy Safari 2019 Blue Macaron Fountain Pen! I purchased this with my own pennies. I love the Safari. I think it's a great beginner fountain pen, and great for everyone else as well.

Lamy Tipo Rollerball Pen

Lamy Tipo at Bureau Direct

From £5.95

One or more of the items used in this review may have been provided free of charge by sponsors or supporters of this blog for the purpose of a review.   I have done my best to remain as unbiased as possible. Everything you've read here is my own opinion. 

Lamy Balloon Lime Rollerball Pen

Lamy Balloon Rollerball Pen

Lamy Balloon Pen

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Lamy 2000 Makrolon Fountain Pen Review @Lamy

Thanks to Lamy Canada for sending this Makrolon fountain pen for a review!

ABOUT

Body material: Makrolon (black fibreglass) + brushed stainless steel
Trim: Aluminum
Cap: Snap-on
Posts: Yes, friction
Nib material: 14 kt gold, rhodium-plated
Filling system: Piston-filler
Length (capped): 138.80 mm/5.46"
Length (uncapped): 124.19 mm/4.88"
Length (posted): 152.96 mm/6.02"
Length (section): 22.93 mm/0.90"
Diameter (barrel):  9.23 - 13.23 mm/0.36" - 0.52"
Diameter (section): 6.30 - 10.80 mm/0.24" - 0.42"
Weight (all): 27 g
Weight (cap): 9 g
Weight (body): 18 g
Price: $226.00 CAD
Where to buy: Wonder Pens

PACKAGING

The Lamy is presented in a simple grey cardboard box with a brushed metal Lamy plaque on top. The pen was placed in an (unnecessary...) plastic sleeve and it was sitting on a felt bed. Very simple and basic and I like that Lamy does not waste packaging. It's not excessively large. Most of it is recyclable as well!

APPEARANCE

The Lamy 2000 is Lamy's flagship model. The Makrolon is probably more recognizable than the stainless steel. The body is round with blunt, flat ends. The cap snaps on with tiny little nubs that stick out of the barrel, which the cap clicks through. The finial is smooth and polished. The clip is attached through a cut out in the cap. It is a sharp, blunt, blocky clip engraved with "Germany" on the bottom and "LAMY" on the side. The clip is brushed metal, which matches the brushed section. There is a silver colored plug at the end of the barrel as well.

The piston-turning knob is well-placed and is flush with the barrel. I can barely even see the seam. The Makrolon has a small ink window. It's not particularly easy to see - you cannot really tell what the exact color of your ink is but you can see if you have any!

The cap and barrel are a matte, brushed black fiberglass. I think it looks quite cool with the brushed stainless steel trim. I like the look of the pen overall, though I usually favour bright colors. I never used to like this model and I never understood what the appeal was and then suddenly I wanted one! Maybe just curiosity but it has a lot going for it.

NIB & PERFORMANCE

The 14kt rhodium-plated gold nib is the hooded type, which was one of the things I did not like about the pen. Although the model appeals to me more now than it used to, I still don't care for the hooded nib. It has a single slit and most of the nib is concealed so there isn't much to it. I have the broad nib and it appears to be quite stubby. Lamy tests all their pens before they leave the factory so I flushed the washable blue ink residue out first.

The nib is well-adjusted and well-tuned. Drying times are average - 20 seconds or so - with medium ink flow. The nib is firm, but it does offer a bit of bounce with little pressure. It is definitely not a soft gold nib, though. It did not skip or hard start, nor did it dry out easily. Due to the stubby shape, I found the sweet spot to be where the nib surface aligns parallel with the page - no rotating the pen and a little difficult for fast writing (or maybe inattentive writing).

If you are looking for a nice, round, easy-to-use nib, the Lamy 2000 broad is not a good option. Stick to the fine or medium! If you are looking for a firmer gold nib with a stubby writing experience, the broad is great. The writing experience is interesting and while I'm not crazy about hooded nibs, this one performs well.

The piston-filling mechanism is smooth and operates easily. The pen can be disassembled for maintainance but it's not very simple to do (like a Pelikan, for example) so do so at your own risk and be careful.

IN HAND

The clip is nice and springy - easy to operate one-handed. It is not particularly snug but the pen is not all that heavy either. It is easy to slide on and off papers, pockets, and pouches without damage.

The seam from the section to the barrel is quite smooth and comfortable to the touch. I do not find the section slippery, despite its tapered shape and metal finish.

Unposted, the pen is not all that heavy and it is weighted towards the front. The cap posts snugly, securely, and deeply by friction. Posting the cap shifts the balance towards the middle, which feels comfortable. I like the feeling and weight more than the stainless steel version of the Lamy 2000.

Makrolon itself feels quite pleasant in hand - slightly textured. I like it.

PROS & CONS

OVERALL

Oddly enough, I used to prefer the stainless steel version for its weight and appearance. I like how it looks but the Makrolon is now easy for me to use extensively. The stubby broad nib is pleasant and well-tuned but not ideal for (my) fast writing. I know a lot of people love the 2000 and I realize the design is timeless since its launch, but I'm not totally in love with it. It's interesting and neat but I still prefer my Safari with a gold nib.



I was sent this item for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion. There are no affiliate links in this post.

@Lamy 2000 Makrolon Fountain Pen Impressions

Thanks to Lamy Canada for sending the Lamy 2000 Makrolon for a review. You can follow Lamy Canada on Instagram! I was not paid to create this video - I thought it would be really fun. I hope you enjoy and perhaps find it useful. Let me know!

Review: Lamy Aion Fountain Pen - Black & Olive Silver @AppelboomLaren

Thanks to Appelboom for sending these Lamy Aions for a review! I was really interested in spending some time with them as it's been quite some time since I have used a new Lamy model.

ABOUT

Body material: Aluminum
Trim: Aluminum
Cap: Slip cap
Posts: Yes, friction
Nib material: Steel (14kt gold optional)
Filling system: Lamy proprietary cartridge/converter
Length (capped): 142.92 mm/5.63"
Length (uncapped): 136.72 mm/5.38"
Length (posted): 162.46 mm/6.40"
Length (section): 37.51 mm/1.47"
Diameter (barrel): 11.17 - 12.93 mm/0.44" - 0.51"
Diameter (section): 9.88 - 13.08 mm/0.39" - 0.52"
Weight (all): 35 g
Weight (cap): 12 g
Weight (body): 23 g
Price: $ 50.00 USD
Where to buy: Appelboom

Discount code for 10% off: friend

PACKAGING

The Aion is presented in a solid grey box. There is a matte grey Lamy plaque on the top. The lid lifts open to reveal a felted grey slotted bed. The pen is wrapped in a plastic sleeve and is accompanied by a Lamy pamphlet. It is a simple box that can be used to house two pens in the slotted tray and it doesn't take up too much space. Not bad.

APPEARANCE

The Aion is an intriguing pen. It is actually quite large compared to other Lamy pens I have used (Safari, AL-Star, 2000, Studio, Logo). The Aion is round with a blunt, slightly tapered back end and a blocky flat top. The finial is unmarked. The end of the cap on both colors has a shiny metal band. Otherwise, the cap and barrel are somewhat matte - both colors look brushed. The clip is attached through a clean cut out in the cap. It is plain, shiny, and is shaped like a plain, long rectangle. LAMY is engraved on the side of the clip. It is a rather featureless clip that I don't care for. I don't dislike it... but I don't really like it either.

The long cap covers the long section. Uncapped, there is still a lot of barrel behind the section. The barrel connects to the section smoothly - except it unscrews to ink right at the joint. The section is smooth, matte silver or black, and tapers towards the nib. The pens have a modern look and design that I'm still confused about. It looks like a cross between the Lamy 2000 and the Lamy Dialog. Even after several months, I haven't decided if I truly like it or not. I know a lot of others love it, but maybe it's just not for me.

The Olive Silver is a nice silver with a slightly olive-green-yellow tint. It's hard to describe but it brings the brightness down a notch and I really like that. The black is just a regular blasted-finish black. It's nice but doesn't excite me like the Olive Silver. 

NIB & PERFORMANCE

The nib is Lamy's steel but gold nibs are also an available upgrade. The nibs here are medium and broad. They have a single slit, a round breather hole, and they are laser engraved with the nib size and LAMY. Why on earth are Lamy's nibs laser engraved? Anyway. The nibs are similar to the Safari/AL-Star/Studio nibs but they have a rounded tine shape.

The regular Lamy steel and gold nibs do fit on the Aion. The nibs perform well - fairly smooth, medium ink flow, no skips or hard starts. They are pleasant writers that offer a firm writing experience, but a reliable one as well. I've always had a positive experience with Lamy nibs - they may be slightly inconsistent in their grading (i.e some fines are mediums and some fines are extra-fine), but I find them overall to be pretty solid writers.

The Aion did not come with a converter, which I think is unfortunate, but I have plenty of supply here in my stash. No issues with the cartridge/converter function.

IN HAND

This is the part I'm stuck on. There is so much to think about that I just cannot decide if I like these pens or not. The clip is spring-loaded and super easy to operate, and it's quite pleasant.  It isn't a super snug clip and for such a large pen, I find it a bit wobbly when it is clipped to things. It does not slide on things easily - lifting the clip makes it better.

The section feels too girthy for me, and slightly slippery because it is so smooth and featureless. Combined with the length of the pen, I find it a bit uncomfortable to hold for long writing sessions. Short notes are ok.

Unposted, the pen fills my grip so it feels too large somehow. It is not too heavy or unbalanced, just full. The cap posts deeply, snugly, and securely by friction. The barrel is so long and the cap posts so far down on the barrel that it isn't as long as I expected when posted. It is too heavy, however, and I find it a bit unbalanced. I prefer to use the Aion unposted but either way, I only found it comfortable for shorter writing sessions.

Top to bottom: Lamy Safari, Montblanc Muses Marilyn Monroe, Pelikan M200 Smoky Quartz, Montblanc M Ultra Black, Lamy Aion Olive Silver, Lamy Aion Black, Lamy Studio Racing Green, Lamy Studio Piano Black, Sailor 1911 Fude.

Another thing I don't care for is there are so many threads to unscrew the section from the barrel. Not a deal breaker but just another thing I am not crazy about.

PROS & CONS

OVERALL

I was really torn about writing this review. I just don't know how I feel about this one. At $50 or so, it wouldn't be the worst thing to take a chance on it and if you really don't like it, pass it on or sell it, but you may just love it like many others do. There's nothing really terribly wrong with the pen. It works well, it's robust and solid, it's fairly affordable, and it's decent all around. It just doesn't do much for me. My favorite thing between both pens and all their features is the Olive Silver color. It's bright but not too shiny and I think it's more unique than the black, which I usually prefer. It doesn't come with a converter, it's too large for me to really use comfortably, I find it slippery... I don't know. I don't hate it but I don't really care for it either. I like the Lamy Safari better so I'll stick to those.






I received this item free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion.